An Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth

This is an ancient statue of Hammurabi. Do you think he looks more like a strict, stern leader or more like a kind, forgiving leader?

On Thursday we discussed Hammurabi's Code: the first system of written laws in human history. The students determined that there are several reasons it's important to put laws in writing:
  • Written laws make society more fair.  They prevent leaders from changing the laws willy-nilly, without informing the people.
  • Written laws make society more organized.  People can read the laws and understand the specifics of what they are allowed (and not allowed) to do.
  • Written laws promote good behavior. If a person can read the laws and think about them, he or she is more likely to actually obey the laws.
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The students also discussed the idea of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." This saying comes directly from two of the laws in Hammurabi's Code (the students correctly determined that the punishment for knocking out a man's tooth was not to make a toothbrush for every other person in Babylon!).

I was especially impressed that several students are familiar with Gandhi's famous criticism of Hammurabi's Code: "An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind."

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